At Ortodoncia Nakpil Bueno, at the same day we remove your orthodontic appliance we give you a set of transparent retainers to be used only at night time. A few days later when your definitive retainers have been made by the lab technician, we will change them for fixed or removable retainers. What´s the difference?

FIXED RETAINERS:

The fixed retainers are made of a piece of threaded orthodontic wire, it is customized in a model to the shape of the back of your teeth and be sure that there is no stress in your teeth as we attach it. I can´t be seen as it is cemented on the back part of your anterior teeth. It is long term retention and it can stay in place for years.

In case you have a periodontal problem (weak gums and bones) and your teeth have mobility, we will also use this as the first choice to splint your teeth together in order to share the masticatory forces among all those teeth that are splinted. It also prevents spaces from showing up between your teeth.

This type of retention is mainly used in the lower jaw. Why not in the upper? We need a certain space between the upper and lower teeth to be able to attack a fixed retainer, sometimes the occlusion is adjusted in a way that when you bite, it leaves no space and if we do use it in the upper arch you would be very uncomfortable because:

• As you close your teeth the lower anterior teeth will bite on the retainer.
• The posterior teeth wouldn´t be able to bite together
• The retainer could be loose or broken frequently

The benefits of the fixed retention are:

• It works 24h/day
• You don´t need to remember to put it on
• You don´t need extra maintenance products, you can clean it as you brush your teeth
• You can and should use floss (super floss®) to clean your teeth

The disadvantages are:

• You can´t eat hard food like nuts, eating apples,… because it could get loose
• You need extra hygienic care in the area where the appliance is placed because calculus and plaque con form easily between the wire.
• In case it gets detached, you need to come quickly to the office so than the piece of retainer doesn´t irritate your tongue or gums.

REMOVABLE RETAINERS:

Removable retainers are those that you can remove and place in your mouth to cover the teeth. They are only used at night and generally on the upper jaw.

You could use a Hawley that is has an acrylic baseplate that covers the palate and has metal arch wires that hold the teeth in place.

Other options are the use of a night time upper splint which is indicated for those that clench their teeth at night and for those that have joint problems. The splint prevents your teeth from getting worn down and helps the joint to rest and heal the inflammation in cases where it is present.

The advantages of the removable retention are:

• You can eat whatever you like without worrying of it being detached. • If it breaks you can easily stop using it and avoid any injury • It is easy to keep it and your teeth clean as you can clean it outside your mouth

The disadvantages of the removable retention are:

• It only works when you use it, you need to get into the habit of using it • You would need cleaning tablets to disinfect the appliance and a container to leave the retainers so the product can work. • Periodically it is recommended to clean the appliance container to avoid microorganism from proliferation

Do you have any question regarding the orthodontic retainers? Do you want to know why are they needed? Click here to read more about the retention on orthodontics.

If you want to see your teeth beautifully aligned and you would like to know what options suits you better, approximately the treatment time and an estimation of the cost please call us to book a free consultation with our doctors at 952 77 77 47.

Dental Clinic Nakpil Bueno in Marbella

Dental Clinic Ortodoncia Nakpil-Bueno is a team with a calling since 20 years we have been helping our patients achieve an attractive smile. Having a beautiful smile makes us more cheerful, smiles releases endorphins that makes us feel good. We love our profession!

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